Solar Proof Blog

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Insights, guides and news on solar design, quoting and sales.

Solar Business Software in Australia: What to Look For

Published: June 9, 2026

Solar business software runs leads, design, quoting, proposals and SLDs in one platform. For Australian installers, the deciding factor is whether STCs, the Federal Battery Rebate and AS/NZS 5033 are built in.

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Solar Workflow Automation: Where Installers Actually Save Time

Published: June 9, 2026

Solar workflow automation moves a job through its stages and removes repeated data entry, so the design feeds the quote and the quote feeds the proposal. Where the time savings really come from.

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Solar CRM for Installers: Why a Generic CRM Isn't Enough

Published: June 9, 2026

A solar CRM tracks leads and customers and keeps the design, quote and proposal on one record, which a generic CRM can't do because it doesn't understand solar.

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SLD for a Battery Storage System

Published: June 9, 2026

A battery SLD adds the battery, its inverter or charger and storage isolation to the standard solar single-line diagram. How hybrid and AC-coupled designs change the drawing.

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How to Draw a Solar SLD (Step by Step)

Published: June 9, 2026

To draw a solar single-line diagram, lay the system out in order from array to grid using AS/NZS 5033-aligned symbols. The element-by-element method, and how software speeds it up.

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Solar SLD Template (and a Faster Alternative to Downloading One)

Published: June 9, 2026

A solar SLD template gives you a standard starting layout, but a static download still has to be edited by hand for every job. Why generated SLDs beat static templates.

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AS/NZS 5033 SLD Requirements Explained

Published: June 9, 2026

AS/NZS 5033 is the Australian and New Zealand PV array standard. What a compliant single-line diagram needs to show, in plain terms. General info, not compliance advice.

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What Is a Single-Line Diagram (SLD) in Solar PV?

Published: June 9, 2026

A single-line diagram is the one-line electrical drawing of a solar PV system, required for STC and grid-connection paperwork in Australia. What it shows and how to make one.

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Switching From GreenSketch: Is Independence Worth Paying For?

Published: June 5, 2026

Leaving a free tool only makes sense if you value independence over zero cost. When paying for a supplier-independent platform is worth it, when staying free is smarter, and how to move cleanly.

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GreenSketch Pricing: Why It's Free, and What That Costs You

Published: June 5, 2026

GreenSketch is free, but free is a business model. How the OSW hardware-procurement funding works, what the link means in practice, and whether free is genuinely cheaper.

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GreenSketch Review: How "Free" Solar Software Actually Works

Published: June 5, 2026

An honest GreenSketch review for Australian installers: what its AI battery design does well, how the OSW-funded free model works, and the question to ask before adopting it.

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Switching From HelioScope: Replace It, or Add a Proposal Tool?

Published: June 5, 2026

Because HelioScope is a simulation engine, not a quoting tool, the real choice is whether to drop it or add a proposal platform alongside it. An honest guide for Australian installers.

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HelioScope Pricing in Australia: Cost, Project Caps and What's Not Included

Published: June 5, 2026

HelioScope pricing explained for Australian installers: the US-dollar per-seat cost, monthly project caps, the proposal tool it doesn't include, and how it compares to per-project AU pricing.

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HelioScope Review: Is the Simulation Engine Right for Australian Installers?

Published: June 5, 2026

An honest HelioScope review for Australian installers: what its commercial simulation does brilliantly, why it produces no proposals or Australian rebates, and who should use it.

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Switching From SolarPlus: Is the Depth Still Worth the Learning Curve?

Published: June 5, 2026

The hardest part of leaving SolarPlus is the sunk cost of learning it. When switching is genuinely worth it, when it isn't, and how to move without disrupting your pipeline.

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SolarPlus Pricing in Australia: Subscription Plans Explained

Published: June 5, 2026

How SolarPlus pricing works for Australian installers: the tiered subscription model, what it includes, and how to work out whether it beats per-project pricing for your volume.

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SolarPlus Review: Deep Australian Design Software, But Is It for You?

Published: June 5, 2026

An honest SolarPlus review for Australian installers: its standout off-grid and commercial depth, the learning curve that comes with it, and who it suits.

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SLD for Battery Storage Systems Explained

Published: June 4, 2026

How single line diagrams differ for battery storage, the extra elements to show, the relevant standards, and how to produce a battery SLD.

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How to Draw a Solar SLD: A Step-by-Step Guide

Published: June 4, 2026

A step-by-step guide to drawing a compliant solar single line diagram, what to include, the order to work in, and how to do it faster.

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Solar SLD Template: What a Good One Includes

Published: June 4, 2026

What to look for in a solar SLD template, the elements a compliant one needs, and why generating an SLD from your design beats a static template.

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AS/NZS 5033 SLD Requirements Explained

Published: June 4, 2026

What AS/NZS 5033 means for your solar single line diagrams: the key elements an SLD should show and how to keep documentation compliant.

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What Is a Single Line Diagram (SLD) in Solar?

Published: June 4, 2026

What a single line diagram is in solar PV, what it shows, why it's required in Australia, and how it's generated, explained for installers.

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Is Aurora Solar Good for Australian Installers? (2026)

Published: June 4, 2026

An honest Aurora Solar review for Australian installers: its class-leading AI 3D design depth, why it's US-first with no native AU compliance, the premium USD pricing, and who it suits.

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Aurora Solar Pricing in Australia: Premium US Software, Local Reality

Published: June 4, 2026

How Aurora Solar pricing works for Australian installers: the per-user US-dollar cost, why it's a premium, why local compliance isn't included, and whether the design depth justifies it.

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Switching From Pylon: A Fair Look at When It's Worth It

Published: June 4, 2026

Pylon and Solar Proof are close rivals, so switching is only worth it for a specific gap, usually proposal flexibility or commercial headroom. An even-handed guide to when to move and when to stay.

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Pylon Pricing in Australia: The Per-Project Model Explained

Published: June 4, 2026

How Pylon pricing works for Australian installers: the per-project model from around four dollars, what each project fee includes, and why it's so close to Solar Proof that price won't decide.

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Pylon Review for Australian Installers (2026)

Published: June 4, 2026

A fair Pylon review for Australian installers: its standout award-winning 3D shading, fair per-project pricing, where its proposal-template range and commercial depth sit, and who it suits.

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Switching From OpenSolar: When Leaving Free Software Is Worth It

Published: June 4, 2026

Leaving a free platform only makes sense if it's quietly costing you on compliance. When switching from OpenSolar is worth it, when it isn't, and how to move without disruption.

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OpenSolar Pros and Cons for Australian Installers (2026)

Published: June 4, 2026

A balanced look at OpenSolar's pros and cons for Australian installers: where the free global platform shines, where being global-first leaves gaps, and whether the strengths outweigh them for you.

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OpenSolar Pricing in Australia (2026)

Published: June 4, 2026

OpenSolar is free, but free is a model. How the hardware-and-finance partner funding works, what sits outside the free core (paid API, imagery, SLDs), and whether it's enough for Australian installers.

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OpenSolar Review: The World's Most Popular Free Solar Software, Tested for Australia

Published: June 4, 2026

An honest OpenSolar review for Australian installers: why the free, global platform is so popular, what it does brilliantly, and where being global-first leaves local gaps.

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Solar Pricing Software in Australia

Published: June 3, 2026

Solar pricing software for Australian installers: how to keep pricing consistent across your team, handle STCs and GST automatically, and avoid the costly errors of manual spreadsheets.

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Nearmap for Solar Design

Published: June 3, 2026

Using Nearmap for solar design: why high-resolution aerial imagery improves panel layout and measurement accuracy, how it compares to free imagery, and how it works inside Solar Proof.

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Multi-Inverter Solar Design

Published: June 3, 2026

Multi-inverter solar design explained: when to use multiple inverters, how MPPTs and strings are split across them, common pitfalls, and how Solar Proof handles multi-inverter systems.

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How to Quote a Solar Job (Australian Guide)

Published: June 3, 2026

How to quote a solar job in Australia: a step-by-step guide to gathering usage, sizing the system, applying STCs and GST, modelling savings on the real tariff, and presenting a winning quote.

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How to Quote a Home Battery (Australian Guide)

Published: June 3, 2026

How to quote a home battery in Australia: sizing to usage, applying the tiered Federal Battery Rebate, modelling solar-plus-storage savings, and presenting an honest payback the customer believes.

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How to Design a Solar PV System (Australian Guide)

Published: June 3, 2026

How to design a solar PV system in Australia: a step-by-step guide covering site assessment, sizing, panel layout, string and inverter selection, shading, and AS/NZS 5033 compliance.

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Auto-Stringing Solar Explained

Published: June 3, 2026

Auto-stringing explained for solar installers: what it is, how string sizing and MPPT matching work, the AS/NZS 5033 voltage-window rules involved, and how Solar Proof automates it.

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